SW News: Three brothers have been ordained as priests in the Philippines on the same day. Deacons and Jessie James Olayvar Avenido, Jestonie Olayvar Avenido, and Jerson Rey Olayvar Avenido were ordained by Archbishop Jose Cabantan of Cagayan de Oro Archdiocese for the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata.

The ordination ceremony was held at St Augustine’s Cathedral on September 8, Wednesday, in the presence of the family members and friends of the Avenido brothers.

The Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata was founded on November 4, 1816, by Fr Gaspar Bertoni, an Italian priest.

Out of a population of 1,435,098 in the archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro, around 75 per cent are Catholics.